Gun magazine speed loader and methods

ABSTRACT

A gun magazine speed loader that can load an entire magazine simply by pulling the magazines external follower in a downward motion. Rimmed cartridges are aligned nose down and side-by-side in a loading channel and the magazine and speed loader are then tipped up toward a vertical position with the magazine below the loader. By passing the stream of cartridges through an “articulator” that articulates the nose of the cartridge and feeds cartridges ‘rim-first’ and up through feed lips and into the magazine, the cartridges fill the magazine in a continuous stream, essentially at the speed of gravity-falling cartridges under control of the external follower. The articulator has no moving parts and operates with rimmed cartridges and with curved or low-rake angle magazines having an external follower.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61/679027 filed 2 Aug. 2012, which is herein incorporated in full for all purposes.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

This invention was made without government support.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an improved gun magazine speed loader and in particular to an apparatus for aligning or orienting a plurality of cartridges and loading the cartridges single-file into a firearm magazine and in doing so without requiring the user to handle each individual cartridge or requiring a one-by-one action. The apparatus includes an articulator and can load an entire magazine or clip with gravity feed by simply pulling down the magazine's external follower.

BACKGROUND

Rim and rimfire ammunition is generally smaller in caliber and requires greater dexterity to properly orientate and insert the cartridges into a magazine. After many repetitions, one-by-one cartridge insertion into a gun magazine by hand is both time consuming and uncomfortable, particularly for the thumb. This problem is compounded for large capacity magazines commonly used in modern target practice.

Devices for loading multiple cartridges into a magazine are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,572 to Brandenburg discloses a device having two cam followers that move a cartridge in two linear directions during the cartridge loading operation. Brandenburg, while providing means of aligning the cartridges and placing them into a magazine, teaches a pushing force applied to the plunger for each and every cartridge to be loaded into the magazine

U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,820 to Miller illustrates the use of a spring loaded feed finger to achieve the proper transport motion to load a cartridge into a magazine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,449 to Jackson shows a simplified version of this method, incorporating a single rotary cam to accomplish this task. While greatly simplifying the mechanism to load a single cartridge to the magazine, the method still works by a serial one-cartridge-at-a-time action of a rotary cam. One turn of the cam is equal to only one cartridge being loaded, thus requiring a sustained effort by the user to load the magazine to maximum capacity.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,637,048 to Tal shows a universal pistol magazine loader that uses a fulcrum press motion to overcome the force of the magazine spring to facilitate loading. Tal provides a fulcrum and mechanical advantage to overcome the force of the magazine spring, but still requires the user to handle each individual cartridge by hand. The device is designed primarily for pistol magazines of certain caliber ranges.

US Pat. No. 4,392,321 to Bosworth, while providing a means for aligning the cartridges, does not provide a practical means of placing the cartridges into a magazine. McFadden Machine Co. Inc. Ultimate Clip Loader 22 LR Pistol Magazine Loader incorporates a similar method of aligning the cartridges as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,321. The method requires retracting the external magazine follower before the cartridges can be loaded. However, because the cartridges are not contacted and guided by a magazine follower, cartridges will tumble and jam in the magazine when attempted with commonly available curved or limited rake-angle magazines. Thus the device has limitations in its use. The device has been shown not to work for curved rifle magazines and/or for magazines having a limited rake angle (defined by a generally 80 to 90 degree angle of entry of the cartridges into the magazine).

None of these patents or products provides a means for loading curved or limited-rake angle types of magazines reliably. Thus there is an unmet need in the art for a magazine loader for magazines that lack a straight track and/or a high rake angle.

What is needed is a loading apparatus for magazines that require each cartridge be “articulated” as it enters the magazine. Articulation would serve to guide the cartridge correctly past the feed lips and into the magazine. Preferredly, the device or apparatus would eliminate reciprocating cam, rotary-cam, feed finger, or plunger operated mechanisms, in other words have a minimum or no moving parts. Most preferredly the device would function to articulate the cartridges during magazine loading while operating on gravity feed under control of the magazine follower.

It would further be advantageous to provide a gun magazine speed loader that could have cartridges poured directly from unsorted or bulk containers into a receiving tray or trough. A preferred device will enable storing of additional cartridges in excess of what is required to fill the loading tray.

It would also be advantageous to provide a means to orientate the cartridges into a classifier by using a slot with a width sized to allow the nose of the cartridge to pass through but to capture the rim of the cartridge. It would further be advantageous to provide a means to tamp the cartridges into a side-by-side, single-file position for loading.

It would further be advantageous to provide interchangeable magazine well adapters to accept a variety of different gun magazines so the speed loader could be used with many different gun magazines without having to duplicate or modify the classifier and/or articulator sections of the speed loader.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a firearm magazine speed loader that can load a plurality of rim-type cartridge into a magazine by “articulating” the cartridge in such a manner as to feed the rim past the forward edge of the feed lips of the magazine with no more effort than pulling, in a downward motion, the magazine's external follower.

Bulk cartridges can be poured directly from their container into the hollow receptacle described below. The invention utilizes a conventional type cartridge orienting device such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,321 to Bosworth. This orienting device includes a hollow receptacle having a slot separating two lateral rails. Cartridges placed in the hollow receptacle are directed toward the slot. The width of the slot is sized to accept only the body of the cartridge, but not the rim. Thus the nose of the cartridge can fall into the slot and the rim will stop the falling motion, because the rails will engage the rim to suspend the cartridge nosedown. When a plurality of non-oriented cartridges are placed in the hollow receptacle and the receptacle shaken, the cartridges are uniformly aligned automatically in the slot with their longitudinal axes aligned generally parallel within the slot. An effective number of cartridges to adequately fill the magazine having been sorted into the loading channel with the magazine inserted into the device, a sliding rod may be used to push the cartridges towards the accepting device or magazine. Then by tipping the magazine and speed loader toward a vertical position, magazine down, the user only needs to draw the external follower of the magazine down along its track in the magazine housing. The loader will then feed a plurality of cartridges into the magazine by articulating them one by one through the feed lips. “Articulation” involves an operation of tipping the cartridge to angle rim-first and then displacing the cartridge endwise on a smooth step up a load ramp so that the cartridge is fed rim-first into the mouth of the magazine. Cartridges in the magazine stack one on top of the other. The operation of loading simulates feeding the cartridges by hand into the magazine while maintaining contact between the first cartridge of the cartridge stack and the magazine follower. Contact with the magazine follower prevents disorientation of the cartridges and jams (caused by misfed cartridges) and allows the cartridges to fill the magazine at a rate that approaches the free-fall velocity of a cartridge in gravity.

Thus in one aspect the invention is a gun magazine speed loader for loading of a plurality of rimmed cartridges into a firearm magazine, the magazine having an external follower, the speed loader comprising a) a loading channel defined by parallel inside sidewalls and bottom surface, the loading channel having a first end with cartridge receiving slot superiorly disposed thereon and a open terminus at a second end, where the open terminus of the loading channel is adapted for communicating with the open mouth and feed lips of a magazine; b) contralateral rails are formed on the inside side walls, such that the rails and gap between the rails are dimensioned for supporting a plurality of rimmed cartridges nosedown, slideably pendant in single file between the rails; c) a “cartridge articulator” disposed at the open terminus of the loading channel, the cartridge articulator comprising i) a magazine receiving adaptor disposed to align a magazine or “clip” at an offset from the long axis of the loading channel, ii) a cartridge discharge window defining feed lips on the superior aspect of the open terminus, iii) a load ramp formed as an extension of the bottom surface of the loading channel on the long axis, the load ramp defining a stationary cam having a smoothly sloped step face rising from the bottom surface of the long axis of the loading channel to abut the bottom edge of the magazine receiving adaptor, wherein the stationary cam is positioned so that a cartridge discharged from the terminus is angled rim-first and displaced up between the feed lips and the bottom edge into a magazine by the action of the nose of the cartridge striking the stationary cam when passing through the cartridge discharge window under control of an external magazine follower. The cartridge articulator is configured to continuously “articulate” each of a plurality of cartridges, angled rim-end first, up the load ramp according to an offset pathway, and through the cartridge discharge window into the mouth of the magazine. The speed loader is generally tipped to provide gravity feed and the continuous flow of the stream of cartridges into the magazine is controlled by the action of the external magazine follower. The cartridges are stacked so as to contact the external follower before beginning the loading operation, and “follow” the external follower as they flow into the magazine. Surprisingly, the vertical height of the cartridge discharge window is less then the vertical length of the cartridges, but feed lips and load ramp are spaced to cooperatively direct said plurality of cartridges in single-file, angled rim-end first, along an offset path or “jog” through the cartridge discharge window and into a magazine, such that the plurality of cartridges flow as a continuous stream of cartridges under gravity under control of the action of an external magazine follower.

In a preferred embodiment, the magazine receiving adaptor includes a gate mechanism for blocking the cartridge discharge window when no magazine is present. Multiple magazine receiving adaptors or “mag well” adaptors may be offered to allow use of the speed loader with various kinds of magazines having a low rake angle or curvature such as is found in rifle magazines. The speed loader may also include a push rod for tamping cartridges toward the cartridge discharge window and a storage trough for receiving an excess of cartridges so that multiple magazines may be quickly loaded.

In another aspect, the invention is method for loading rimmed cartridges into a firearm magazine having an external follower, which comprises providing a speed loader of the invention. Method steps include (a) aligning cartridges in a row, side-by-side, nose down, in a channel defined by parallel inside sidewalls in the body of the speed loader, the sidewalls having opposing lateral rails dimensioned for slideably supporting the cartridges nosedown and pendant from their rims; the channel having a first end with a cartridge receiving slot disposed on a superior aspect and a second end terminating in a cartridge articulator; (b) attaching an empty magazine to engage the cartridge articulator, the cartridge articulator comprising a magazine receiving adaptor disposed to align a magazine at a vertical offset from the loading channel, a cartridge discharge window defined by feed lips on the superior aspect of the terminus, wherein the cartridge discharge window is in communication with a mouth of a magazine, a load ramp formed as an extension of the bottom surface of the loading channel on the long axis, the load ramp defining a stationary cam having a smoothly sloped step face rising from the bottom surface of the long axis of the loading channel to abut the bottom edge of the magazine receiving adaptor, wherein the stationary cam is positioned so that a cartridge discharged from the terminus is angled rim-first and displaced up between the feed lips and the bottom edge into a magazine by the action of the nose of the cartridge striking the stationary cam; (c) gravity-pouring the cartridges from the loading channel, through the articulator, and into the magazine while using the external follower to control the flow of cartridges, thereby loading the magazine; and, (d) dismounting the loaded magazine from the magazine receiving adaptor. Optionally, magazine well adaptors may be made interchangeably detachable so that various types of ammunition may be accommodated by speed loaders of the invention.

These and other aspects of the invention now are described in more detail with reference to the drawings and the detailed description given below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the gun magazine speed loader with a gun magazine inserted and the lid open and some loose unsorted cartridges lying in the storage reservoir area.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a left view of a preferred embodiment with sectional views FIG. 3A-3A, FIG. 3B-3B, FIG. 3A-3A is a section through the “V”-shaped side walls that funnel the cartridges toward the alignment slot that comprises the loading channel, FIG. 3B-3B is a section through the storage reservoir area for holding additional cartridges in excess of what can be loaded in the loading channel, and FIG. 3C shows a close-up detail view of how the cartridge is captured by its rim in the loading channel. FIG. 3D illustrates the loading channel section of FIG. 3B-3B without a cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a left view of a preferred embodiment from which detail views FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D are taken. FIG. 4A is a close-up detail view of the divider sorting ramp which helps in separating cartridges from the loading channel and storage reservoir, FIG. 4B is a close-up detail view of the back wall ramp which helps to funnel cartridges into the loading channel, and FIG. 4C is a close-up detail view of the cartridge load ramp and how it articulates the cartridge for insertion into the magazine. FIG. 4D is a detail view of the cartridge articulator without cartridges in view, and illustrates the vertical and horizontal offset of the load ramp.

FIG. 5A is a right perspective view of a detail area of the magazine receiving well.

FIG. 5B is a left perspective view of a detail area of the magazine receiving well.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a preferred embodiment from which section views FIG. 6A-6A and FIG. 6B-6B are taken to show a magazine locking feature: FIG. 6A-6A is a section view showing the magazine lock, magazine release spring and magazine release button in the locked position, and FIG. 6B-6B is a section view showing the magazine lock, magazine release spring and magazine release button in the unlocked position.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cartridge push rod assembly.

FIG. 8A is a left sectional view of a preferred embodiment showing the first articulated cartridge loading into the magazine past the feed lips.

FIG. 8B is a left sectional view showing the first loaded cartridge seated against the magazine follower with the next articulated cartridge ready to load.

FIG. 8C is a left sectional view showing a plurality of cartridges loaded inside the magazine and stacked against the first loaded cartridge seated against the magazine follower with the next articulated cartridge ready to load.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are comparative views of magazines that exemplify the difference in rake angle between a typical pistol magazine (FIG. 9B, such as a Ruger Mark 1, 2 or 3) and the lower rake angle and curved housing of a typical type of rifle magazine for rimmed cartridges (FIG. 9A).

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a gun magazine speed loader, in this preferred embodiment enabling interchangeable gun magazine receiving wells or adapters.

FIG. 11A is a left sectional view showing the action of a spring loaded gate for blocking the loading channel when the magazine adapter 72 is removed. FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view showing the action of the gate.

For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will generally bear the same designations and numbering throughout the figures. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and are not intended as blueprints. Certain features or components herein may be shown in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The drawing figures are hereby made part of the specification, written description and teachings disclosed herein.

DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 thru FIGS. 9, the drawings describe preferred embodiments of a gun magazine speed loader 10 designed to fit a curved GSG-5 22 LR firearm magazine 50, but the invention is not limited thereto. The speed loader 10 is designed for low-cost mass-production by plastic injection molding, where the preferred material is a polycarbonate. The apparatus may be molded, 3D printed, or machined from suitable materials, including plastics, composites and/or metals without limitation.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, an interchangeable “mag well” (72, 74, also termed here a “magazine receiving adapter”) may be used to accommodate different magazine dimensions and arrangements of the lock mechanism, allowing the apparatus to be used with magazines made by Umarex, Colt, HK, Uzi, GSG Kalashnikov, Smith and Wesson MP22, ISSC MK22, or any firearm magazine that incorporates an external magazine follower 52 for rimmed cartridges. The mechanism and method of operation is thus generally useful for loading magazines compatible with rim and rimfire ammunition. Examples of rimmed handgun cartridges include the .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .44 Magnum. Rimmed rifle cartridge examples include the .22 Hornet, .22LR, .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, and others. However the same basic construction and methods of operation apply.

In more detail, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the speed loader apparatus 10 with a gun magazine 50 inserted, the lid 16 open, and some loose, unsorted cartridges 54 deposited in a storage reservoir 36 area. As exemplified here, the speed loader assembly may comprise five basic parts: a right half body 12, a left half body 14, a classifier lid 16, a mag well 48 with magazine lock 28, and a cartridge articulator 49. Cartridge push rod assembly 18, while helpful to sort the cartridges into the loading channel (40, FIG. 3D) is not considered necessary for the operation of the speed loader.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of a speed loader 10. The lid 16 is slideably inserted into the slot in the left half body 14. The magazine release spring 30 is then inserted into a counter bored hole in the left half body 14. The right half body 12 is then slid over the lid 16 and engaged with the left half body. The right half body is then secured to the left half body via self tapping screws 34. Magazine lock 28 is then inserted into the mag well 48 and the magazine release button 32 is then inserted and secured to the magazine lock assembly. Push rod 22 is inserted from the rear into the groove in between the right half body and left half body that forms the loading channel (40, also FIG. 3). The push rod spindles 24 are inserted through the left half body, push rod 22 and right half body and into the one of the push rod thumb grip(s) 20 and attached via the push rod screws 26. Then the remaining push rod thumb grip(s) 20 is attached to the push rod spindles 24 via the push rod screws 26. The gun magazine 50 and magazine follower 52 are shown for reference only.

FIG. 3 shows a left view of the preferred embodiment of a speed loader 10 with dashed lines indicating the location of sectional views FIG. 3A-3A and FIG. 3B-3B. For orientation, the cartridge loading slot 43 demarcates a “first end” of the speed loader body (left in this view), and articulator member 49 is disposed on a “second end” of the body (right in this view). Cartridges 56 are pendant (nose down, rim up) inside the loading channel 40 and are free to slide along the loading channel on lateral rails 41 as described in detailed views FIGS. 3A-3A, 3B-3B, 3C and 3D and also in FIG. 8.

FIG. 3A-3A shows a section view of the “V”-shaped side walls 38 that form the cartridge trough or funnel 36 that functions as a classifier, urging the cartridges, nose down, into a bottom slot (43, FIG. 3C) in the trough that opens into the loading channel 40. The rims of cartridges 56 falling into the channel will be captured on lateral rails (41, FIG. 3C) that are disposed on the sidewalls of the channel and extend along the long axis of the loading channel from the loading slot 43 to the articulator member 49. The cartridges are thus aligned, nosedown and pendant on the contralateral rails 41 of the loading channel 40 as shown in FIG. 3C.

FIG. 3B-3B shows a section view of the storage reservoir 37 area for holding additional cartridges in excess of what can be loaded in the loading channel 40. A sectional view of the loading channel 40 under storage reservoir 37 is shown in detail view FIG. 3D; in this view the loading channel is capped by the base of the storage reservoir and the cartridges are not shown for clarity. Lateral slots 15 beneath the rails relate to the sliding action of the pusher rod assembly 18. Lid 16 is slideable from left to right to enclose the loading trough and cartridge storage reservoir.

FIG. 4 is a left section view of the preferred embodiment from which detail views FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B and FIG. 4C are taken. FIG. 4A shows a close-up of the divider sorting ramp 46 which helps in separating excess cartridges from the loading channel 40 and loading slot 43, and divides the body trough into a cartridge storage reservoir 37 on the right of divider 46 and a cartridge loading trough 36 on the left of divider 46. FIG. 4C shows a close-up detail view of the back wall ramp 44 which helps to funnel cartridges into the loading channel 40.

FIG. 4B shows a close-up detail view the cartridge articulator 49, showing the oriented cartridges 56 prior to contacting the cartridge load ramp 42. To load the cartridges, a magazine is first inserted into mag well 48. The mag well is positioned at a lateral offset relative to the long axis of the loading channel 40. In operation, the load ramp tips or “articulates” cartridge 58 for insertion into the magazine through cartridge discharge window 80, which terminates the loading channel. The load ramp can be characterized as forming a “stationary cam” and performs the function of articulating the cartridges into the magazine rim first and displaced endwise and up with respect to the long axis of the loading channel. The load ramp 42 provides a “lateral offset” 42 a perpendicular to the long axis of the loading channel, which assists in articulating the cartridge and displacing it up into the magazine through window 80. The structure of the articulator 49 is shown again in FIG. 4D, but without the cartridges. Load ramp or stationary cam 42 with offset 42 a angles the cartridges rim-first and “up” through window 80, clearing the underside of superior lip of the loading channel, marked here as feed lips 60. The stationary cam provides a lateral displacement according to the lateral offset 42 a, and is also longitudinally displaced relative to feed lips 60 by a “longitudinal offset” 42 b. By extending the load ramp beyond or past the terminus of the upper edge of the loading channel 60, the cartridges are tipped forward and lifted up at an angle so that they are directed under and through the feed lips of the magazine mouth. The load ramp defines a stationary cam having a smoothly sloped step face rising from the bottom surface of the long axis of the loading channel to abut the bottom edge of the magazine receiving adaptor, which is displaced from the bottom surface by a vertical offset. The stationary cam is positioned so that a cartridge discharged from the terminus is angled rim-first and displaced up between said feed lips and said bottom edge into a magazine by the action of the nose of the cartridge striking the stationary cam. The articulator is a technical feature of the invention.

Thus the cartridge discharge window 80 is at an angle, and the plane of the window is broken first by the forwardly-angled rimmed-end of the cartridge and the nose of the cartridge is displaced up and out of the long axis of the loading channel as it slides along the bottom surface of the load ramp 42. Surprisingly, the vertical height of window 80 (perpendicular to the long axis of the loading channel) is less than the vertical length of the cartridge 56 and is the hypotenuse of a triangle marked by dimensions 42 a and 42 b. The window, feed lips, and loading ramp form an offset path that guides the cartridge into the magazine as the external follower is drawn away from the mag well adaptor and down the length of the magazine. In this way curved magazines and low-rake angle magazines are successfully loaded, an advance in the art.

In typical operation, the loader is tipped to a near-vertical or a vertical position during the loading operation, and as will be shown in FIGS. 8A through 8C, so that the “articulation” of the cartridge involves a tipping motion and a lateral motion into the magazine under the control of the external follower. Thus in FIG. 4 the load ramp can be characterized as providing a vertical lift, but in FIG. 8 the ramp directs a lateral displacement, the terms being relative to the position of the loader body. As previously indicated, the magazine is inserted into the magazine well at an offset from the long axis of the loading channel, and thus the load ramp forms a sloped step or “offset path” that displaces the bottom surface of the loading channel, matching it to the level of the offset while also causing the cartridge to tip rim-first as will be described in more detail in operational views shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 5A shows a right perspective view of a detail of mag well 48 and the magazine release button 32. Shown is cartridge window 80 inside the open jaws of the mag well. Alignment slots are visible where the gun magazine 50 will be inserted. The locking mechanism (28, FIG. 5B) engages the magazine to prevent accidental dislodgement during the loading operation. In this embodiment, the mag well is molded into the speed loader body and is formed from right and left mag well member halves, but as described below (referencing FIG. 9), interchangeable mag wells may be provided, each attaching to the second end of the speed loader body over the cartridge window in proper alignment for use. FIG. 5B shows a left perspective view of a detail area of the mag well 48 and the magazine lock 28. Again depicted are alignment slots where the gun magazine 50 will be inserted.

FIG. 6 is a front end view of the preferred embodiment and depicts the location and orientation of sectional views FIG. 6A-6A and FIG. 6B-6B. In this view, the cartridge window 80 with lateral rails is visible at the center of the magazine receiving member 48. Also shown is an end view of the load ramp 42. FIGS. 6A-6A and 6B-6B correspond to “locked” and “unlocked” (released) positions of the magazine locking mechanism 28. FIG. 6A-6A shows a section view showing the magazine lock 28, magazine release spring 30 and magazine release button 32 in the locked position. FIG. 6B-6B show the magazine lock 28, magazine release spring 30 and magazine release button 32 in the unlocked position.

FIG. 7 shows a left perspective of the cartridge push rod assembly 18 showing the push rod 22, push rod spindles 24, push rod thumb grip(s) 20 with push rod screws 26. The cartridge push rod assembly, while included in the preferred embodiment, is not absolutely required nor would the absence of it negate the functionality of the speed loader.

FIG. 8A is a left sectional view showing a first articulated cartridge 58 angled for loading rim-first into the magazine past the feed lips 60 of the articulator 49. The tipping action follows contact of the cartridge nose with the load ramp 42 and occurs as the cartridge rim slides off the lateral rails 41 (FIGS. 3C and 4D) and clears the feed lips 60 of the articulator member. The load ramp is a bend, slope, knuckle, smooth-faced step, or articulation in the bottom surface of channel 40 and displaces the cartridge laterally, rim-first, “under” and past the feed lips and into the mouth of the magazine, which is offset from the loading channel by a defined step, offset or increment. The load ramp thus forms a stationary cam and the cartridge nose a cam follower. This articulation process is controlled by the rate at which the magazine follower 52 is drawn down the length of the gun magazine 50.

FIG. 8B shows the first loaded cartridge 62 seated against the magazine follower with the next articulated cartridge 58 ready to load by continuing the downward pull applied to the external magazine follower.

FIG. 8C shows a left sectional view showing a plurality of loaded cartridges 64 inside the magazine and palisaded behind the first loaded cartridge 62. The next articulated cartridge 58 ready to load. During loading, the cartridges remain in single file, side-to-side, with rim up and nose down as they enter the magazine behind the follower. As shown, the external follower descends the length of the magazine during this process.

In actual operation, a continuous stream of cartridges fall by gravity feed through the “articulator”, (49, which is defined by the load ramp 42 and the feed lips 60 defining the headspace at the open end 80 of the loading channel, FIGS. 8A through 8C), the headspace joining the loading channel 40 with the cartridge receiving track or channel inside the magazine. The cartridges must follow the offset pathway or jog in the channel. The cartridge-receiving track in the magazine is offset (42 a, 42 b ) from the loading channel as shown in FIG. 4D. Load ramp 42 serves to tilt and displace each cartridge, rim-end first, under the magazine lips as the cartridges stream out of the speed loader and slide in single file up into the offset cartridge track or channel inside the magazine. Performance wise, the cartridges are free to trail contactingly behind the magazine follower at almost a “gravity freefall” speed because there are no moving parts in the speed loader to slow the loading operation. In practice, the external follower can be drawn back so quickly that the cartridges appear to fall as a continuous stream into the magazine.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are comparative views that exemplify the difference in rake angle between two magazines, the first a typical Ruger Mark 1, 2 or 3 pistol magazine 66 (FIG. 9B) and second a typical rifle magazine 50 (FIG. 9A) operative with exemplary embodiments of the invention. The rake angle 68 of the pistol magazine is about 52 degrees; the rake angle of the rifle magazine is about 82 degrees, and the rifle magazine is curved to accommodate higher power casings.

FIG. 10 illustrates the concept of detachably interchangeable magazine receiving adaptors: a selection of customized “mag well adaptor” models that can be fitted to a universal slot 100 over the cartridge window 80 on a stock speed loader. Here the standard body of the speed loader includes a slotted receptacle for fitting a mag well adaptor. The figure shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment having the capacity to accept either of two alternate magazine well adapter models, while not limited to only two. As illustrated here, the main body 70 provides the sorting and reservoir functions, but allows the user to swap out different magazine well adapters. Shown are interchangeable magazine well adapter 72 compatible with a first magazine 50 and magazine well adapter 74 compatible with an alternate gun magazine 76. Since most firearms have their own unique magazine (and may also use different ammunition for different types of shooting) an adapter specific to each magazine or use may be provided in combination with the main housing 70.

FIG. 11A shows a left sectional view of the spring loaded gate mechanism with gate 78 that slides up to block the loading channel 40 whenever magazine well adapter 72 is removed. The gate spring 82 supplies the upward force necessary to raise the gate 78 once the pressure has been released from the gate via the gate depressor tab 84. When a magazine well adapter is inserted back into the main housing 70 the gate tab pushes down onto the gate to open the cartridge discharge window 80, shown here as a cutout in the gate 78. FIG. 11B shows a front sectional view of the spring loaded gate 78 demonstrating how the cartridge window in the gate is raised to block the cartridges from exiting the loading channel 40.

In the above description, for purposes of definition, general connection terms including, but not limited to “connected,” “attached,” and “affixed” are not meant to be limiting and structures so “associated” may have other ways of being associated. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and “fourth” are meant solely for purposes of designation and not for order or limitation. Reference to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or an “aspect,” means that a particular feature, structure, step, combination or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or aspect is included in at least one realization of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment and may apply to multiple embodiments. Furthermore, particular features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It should be noted that the terms “may,” “can,” and “might” are used to indicate alternatives and optional features and only should be construed as a limitation if specifically included in the claims. It should be noted that the various components, features, steps, or embodiments thereof are all “preferred” whether or not it is specifically indicated. Claims not including a specific limitation should not be construed to include that limitation. The term “a” or “an” as used in the claims does not exclude a plurality. Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims that follow, the term “comprise” and variations thereof, such as, “comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense that is as “including, but not limited to.” “Conventional” refers to a term or method designating that which is known and commonly understood in the technology to which this invention relates.

To assist in understanding, “cartridge articulator” refers generally to a structure 49 for articulating rimmed cartridges in single file into an open mouth of a magazine under control of an external follower 52. The structure includes a load ramp forming a stationary cam positioned at the terminus of the loading channel, the load ramp having a smooth sloping face configured so as to articulate the cartridge into a rim-first angled position and then to displace the cartridge by a defined offset from the longitudinal axis of the loading channel, the direction of the displacement being such as to push the rim-end of the cartridge along an offset path defined superiorly by the feed lips of the loading channel and inferiorly by the sloping face or step of the load ramp, which terminates in an abutment level with the lower edge of the mouth of the magazine. Thus as shown in FIG. 4D, the load ramp 42 is positioned with an off-axis displacement or offset in the vertical dimension and a long-axis displacement or offset in the horizontal dimension (relative to the feed lips 60), where the off-axis displacement, termed herein a “lateral offset”, is marked as 42 a and the longitudinal axis displacement is marked as 42 b. In FIG. 8, the body of the loader is held vertically, so that the path of the cartridges flowing through the offset path is seen to be characterized by an angulation of the cartridge and a lateral “jog” or displacement to the right as it passes “under” feed lips 60 and into the magazine 50, which was not shown for clarity in FIG. 4. Magazines having external followers are commercially available and are not directly a part of the invention. Advantageously, the invention permits speed loading of many magazines, particularly those having curved tracks and/or low-rake angle entry, an advance in the art and a long sought solution to a difficult problem.

For purposes of explanation and understanding, relative terms must be construed as such. For example, the terms “under” or “beneath” is meant to be relative to the terms “over” or “above”, the term “right” is meant to be relative to the term “left,” the term “vertical” is meant to be relative to the term “horizontal,” the term “front” is meant to be relative to the term “back,” the terms “upper” or “superior” are meant to be relative to the terms “lower” or :“inferior”, the term “top” is meant to be relative to the term “bottom,” the term “inside” is meant to be relative to the term “outside,” and so forth. Thus relative terms must be construed relative to the orientation of the speed loader body and loading channel, and/or to the direction of gravitational force, and are to be interpreted as would be understood by one skilled in the art.

WORKING EXAMPLES

Speed loaders were designed and made for pistol and rifle magazines. Models tested include the Walther P22 pistol and the GSG MP5 caliber 22LR, GSG AK-47 caliber 22LR, Umarex HK416 caliber 22LR, Umarex MP5 caliber 22LR, Umarex Colt M4 caliber 22LR, Umarex Uzi caliber 22LR, Smith & Wesson MP15-22 caliber 22LR rifles. Operating characteristics are as described for the preferred embodiment below. These magazines have in common an external follower and are built for rimmed cartridges.

Other pistols for which a speed loader of the invention may be developed include the Ruger SR22, Smith & Wesson MRP-22, Sig Mosquito, ISSC MK22 pistols and the Remington 522 caliber 22LR and ISSC MK22 caliber 22LR rifles.

Regarding cartridge types, caliber is not a limiting factor in operation of a magazine and speed loader. For magazines have an external follower, a partial list of ammunition calibers includes the following types—1. Rifle cartridges: .22 LR, .22 Short, .17 Hornady Mach 2, .22 Winchester Magnum, 8×50R Lebel, 7.62×54R 7N1, 8×56R Steyr, .30 Army, .303 British or .600 Nitro Express; 2. Pistol Cartridges: .22 LR, .22 Short, .25 ACP, .32 S&W Short, .32 Short Colt, .38 S&W, .38 Short Colt, .32 Long Colt, .32 S&W Long, .38/200 Mkllz, .45 Auto Rim, .455 Webley Mkll, .44 S&W Russian, .32 H&R Magnum, .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, .38 Long Colt, .45 S&W Schofield, 8 mm Lebel (8×27.5R), .38 S&W Special, .44 S&W Special, .357 S&W Magnum, .41 Remington Magnum, .357 Maximum, while not limited thereto. For cartridges of a different caliber, the loading channel 40, contralateral rails 41, loading slot 43, and articulator 49 may readily be modified according to the dimensions of the cartridges, and thus with simple modifications of the speed loader, an equivalent speed loader may be provided, such that the ammunition type is not limited to .22LR ammunition.

Operation of a Preferred Embodiment

In an exemplary working example, the speed loader 10 was placed on a reasonably horizontal surface to support it or held horizontally. A mag well for the desired gun magazine 50 was attached as shown in FIG. 10. The lid 16 was slid to the open position, the cartridge push rod assembly 18 was retracted to its rearward position, and a plurality of cartridges were poured into the storage reservoir 36 and cartridge loading trough 37. The gun magazine 50 was inserted into the mag well receptacle 48 and locked into place. The lid 16 was closed and the user rocked the speed loader back and forth gently to drop the cartridges into the loading channel 40. The cartridge push rod assembly 18 may be used during this process to help tamp the cartridges along the loading channel 40 towards the inserted gun magazine. Once a plurality of cartridges (sufficient to fill the magazine) are aligned into the loading channel, the speed loader was tilted towards vertical so that the gun magazine is beneath the speed loader body. The magazine follower 52 was then pulled downward in a smooth motion. Surprisingly, retracting the magazine follower can be performed very rapidly, such that the cartridges appear to flow through the articulator as if free-falling in gravity. Cartridges were observed to follow the motion of the magazine follower in continuous single file without jamming. The speed loader was then returned to a horizontal position and the fully loaded gun magazine was released from the magazine engagement lock by pressing button 32. No loose cartridges fell from the body. Additional same type gun magazines may be loaded by repeating the above steps, or different gun magazines of the same caliber may be loaded by installing a suitable magazine well adapter and repeating the steps above. There is no need to retract the external magazine follower before loading, and doing so is disadvantageous because it can disrupt the smooth flow of the cartridges into the magazine and cause jamming.

Other modifications, substitutions and changes to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore the invention is not limited to the example or examples chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes, substitutions and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention in all its forms.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the Claims, which are made a part of the specification and disclosure herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A gun magazine speed loader for loading of a plurality of rimmed cartridges into a firearm magazine, the firearm magazine having an external follower, said speed loader comprising: a) a loading channel defined by parallel inside sidewalls and bottom surface, said loading channel having a first end with cartridge receiving slot superiorly disposed thereon, a long-axis extending the length of said loading channel, and an open terminus at a second end, wherein said open terminus is adapted for communicating with a mouth of a magazine when engaged thereto; b) contralateral rails formed on said inside side walls, wherein said rails are dimensioned for supporting a plurality of rimmed cartridges nosedown, slideably pendant in single file between said contralateral rails; further characterized by c) a cartridge articulator disposed at said terminus of said loading channel, said cartridge articulator comprising a magazine receiving adaptor with bottom edge configured to align a magazine at an offset from said long axis of said loading channel, a cartridge discharge window defining feed lips on the superior aspect of said terminus, and a load ramp formed as an extension of said bottom surface on said long axis, said load ramp defining a stationary cam having a sloped face rising from the bottom surface of the long axis of the loading channel to abut the bottom edge of the magazine receiving adaptor, wherein said stationary cam is positioned so that a cartridge discharged from said terminus is angled rim-first and displaced up between said feed lips and said bottom edge into a magazine by the action of the nose of the cartridge striking against said stationary cam when passing through the cartridge discharge window under control of an external magazine follower.
 2. The speed loader of claim 1, wherein the vertical height of the cartridge discharge window is less then the vertical length of the cartridges, and said feed lips and load ramp are positioned to cooperatively direct said plurality of cartridges in single-file, angled rim-end first, along an offset path through said cartridge discharge window and into a magazine engaged in said magazine receiving adaptor, such that the plurality of cartridges flow as a continuous stream of cartridges under gravity when controlled by the action of an external magazine follower.
 3. The speed loader of claim 1, wherein said magazine receiving adaptor comprises a gate for blocking said cartridge discharge window when no magazine is present.
 4. The speed loader of claim 1, further comprising a push rod slideably aligned within said loading channel.
 5. The speed loader of claim 1, wherein said inside sidewalls of said channel are dimensioned to allow the nose of a cartridge to pass through but to capture a rim of a cartridge on said lateral rails therein, whereby said cartridges are slideably aligned in said channel, nose down, in single file.
 6. The speed loader of claim 1, further comprising a trough for receiving loose cartridges, said trough with sloping sides and bottom slot communicating with said channel.
 7. The speed loader of claim 6, further comprising a trough extension having a capacity for excess cartridges.
 8. The speed loader of claim 1, wherein said magazine receiving adaptor is detachably interchangeable, and is provided in a plurality of models for accepting different gun magazines.
 9. The speed loader of claim 1, further comprising a magazine engagement lock.
 10. The speed loader of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is operative to load a plurality of rimmed cartridges into a curved magazine or a low-rake-angle magazine.
 11. The speed loader of claim 10, wherein said speed loader is dimensioned for rimmed rifle cartridges having a caliber selected from .22LR, 22 short, 22 LR, .17 Hornady Mach 2, .22 Winchester Magnum, 8×50R Lebel, 7.62×54R 7N1, 8×56R Steyr, .30 Army, .303 British, and 600 Nitro Express.
 12. The speed loader of claim 10, wherein said speed loader is dimensioned for rimmed pistol cartridges having a caliber selected from .22 LR, .22 Short, .25 ACP, .32 S&W Short, .32 Short Colt, .38 S&W, .38 Short Colt, .32 Long Colt, .32 S&W Long, .38/200 Mkllz, .45 Auto Rim, .455 Webley MkII, .44 S&W Russian, .32 H&R Magnum, .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, .38 Long Colt, .45 S&W Schofield, 8 mm Lebel (8×27.5R), .38 S&W Special, .44 S&W Special, .357 S&W Magnum, .41 Remington Magnum, .and 357 Maximum.
 13. A method for loading rimmed cartridges into a firearm magazine having an external follower, which comprises (a) aligning cartridges in a row, side-by-side, nose down, in a channel defined by parallel inside sidewalls, said sidewalls having opposing lateral rails dimensioned for slideably supporting the rimmed cartridges nosedown and pendantly therebetween; the channel having a first end with a cartridge receiving slot and a second end with a cartridge articulator; (b) attaching an empty magazine to engage the cartridge articulator, the cartridge articulator comprising a magazine receiving adaptor disposed to align a magazine at a vertical offset from said loading channel, a cartridge discharge window defined by feed lips on the superior aspect of said terminus, wherein said cartridge discharge window is in communication with a mouth of a magazine, a load ramp formed by extending said bottom surface of said loading channel past said feed lips, said load ramp articulating upward according to said offset; (c) gravity-pouring the cartridges from the loading channel, through the cartridge articulator, and into the magazine while using the external follower to control the flow of cartridges, thereby loading the magazine; and, (d) dismounting a loaded magazine from the magazine receiving adaptor.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (c) comprises raising said first end of said body above a magazine attached at said second end so that gravity drives the flow of the cartridges according to the rate at which the external follower is drawn through the magazine.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the external follower is retracted at the magazine at a rate approaching a gravitational free-fall velocity of the cartridges.
 16. The method of claim 13, wherein said steps (a) and (b) are performed in an interchangeable order, said magazine well adaptor having a gate for preventing spilling of cartridges when a magazine is not engaged to said magazine receiving adaptor.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching a second empty cartridge and repeating steps (c) and (d).
 18. The method of claim 13, wherein step (a) comprises loading loose cartridges into a trough with ramped walls and bottom forming said slot, whereby cartridges fall nose down into said channel by a self-aligning process.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein step (a) comprises using a push rod to tamp cartridges together side by side in said channel before loading. 